The coyote (Canis latrans) is one of North America’s most adaptable canids, thriving across a wide range of habitats, including suburban and urban environments. As human development expands, these animals utilize green spaces and residential yards for foraging and travel. Their success is tied to a flexible, omnivorous diet, which allows them to exploit nearly any available food source. This adaptability frequently brings them into gardens, prompting homeowners to wonder about the security of their cultivated plants.
The Truth About Coyotes and Tomatoes
Coyotes will consume tomatoes when the opportunity arises. They are attracted to ripe tomatoes because the soft, fleshy fruit offers a readily accessible source of water and simple carbohydrates, especially in dry environments. Coyotes consume the fruit as an easy snack, often eating tomatoes that have already fallen to the ground.
While the ripened fruit is not harmful, other parts of the tomato plant are toxic. Tomato plants belong to the Solanaceae family, and their leaves, stems, and unripe green fruit contain the toxic glycoalkaloid solanine. Ingestion of these parts can cause gastrointestinal distress and neurological symptoms in canids. Wild coyotes generally avoid consuming the bitter-tasting vegetative matter, instinctively focusing on the sweet, ripened fruit.
Understanding the Coyote’s Primary Diet
Despite occasional forays into the vegetable patch, the coyote’s diet is overwhelmingly dominated by animal matter. They function as opportunistic predators and scavengers, primarily consisting of small mammals, insects, and carrion. Studies show that rodents, such as mice, voles, and rabbits, make up the largest portion of their caloric intake.
The remainder of their natural diet includes reptiles, fish, birds, and large quantities of insects during warmer months. This heavy reliance on small prey confirms that garden produce is a peripheral food source, taken only when convenient or when preferred prey is less abundant. Plant matter, including fruits, vegetables, and grasses, typically accounts for 10% or less of a coyote’s overall diet.
Protecting Your Garden from Opportunistic Eaters
Preventing coyotes from raiding a garden relies on physical exclusion and the removal of secondary attractants. Effective fencing is a reliable deterrent, but it must be properly constructed to prevent climbing and digging. Fences should be at least six feet tall, and it is beneficial to include a buried apron or mesh extending 15 to 20 inches outward from the base to discourage digging underneath.
Beyond physical barriers, eliminating easy food sources is the most effective long-term solution. Fallen fruit from trees, pet food bowls left outdoors, and unsecured garbage bins are strong attractants that lure coyotes into residential areas. Securing trash with bungee cords or storing bins in a garage until collection day removes a major incentive for their presence. Non-lethal hazing methods, such as motion-activated sprinklers or bright lights, can startle and condition coyotes to associate the garden space with an unpleasant experience.